Snowtastrophe

Winter decided to make up for the snow deficit of recent years past and took a massive frozen powdery dump on my part of the country. For awhile, getting out of the house meant shoveling back-breaking clumps of snow and ice into piles whose sizes rivaled the cars next to which they now reside, slowly decomposing in the sun. The elation from days off from work and school, from structured, mandatory life is a short-lived freedom, especially when the moment one makes the sobering realization that snow days are mere postponements of inevitable work which one must later engage in completing.

Fortunately for me, I discovered yet another pay-per-view station show that is among the greatest and consequently most addicting episodes of fiction of which I have had the pleasure of viewing. Dexter, in his ongoing efforts to satiate his need to kill and live up to his father's code, reminded me that in all of us lies a darkness that we struggle to control or even just come to terms with. Now begins a stage where I will most likely put Dexter out of my mind for several months until it returns with new episodes to continue the story.

In the meantime, I've acquired a sudden renewed interest in mixtaping, specifically in finally making some progress on my Nightclub/Lounge-inspired mix by merging it with another mix I was cultivating drawing on delicate songs with subtle organic beauty. Acoustic guitar, gentle piano, and careful tapping, topped off with gorgeous, sometimes forlorn, but always honest lyrics. "Nightclub Jitters" (The Replacements) fits in perfectly, but I'm concerned "Touch Me" (The Doors) and "Does Anybody Really Know What Time it is?" (Chicago) are too abrasive and bombast to sit alongside tender gems like "My Heart is an Apple" (The Arcade Fire) and The Airport Song (The Byrds). On a positive note, the merging of themes makes Lived in Bars (Cat Power) an ideal candidate for this blend. I'll post the finished mix when it eventually coalesces into what every mix should be: greater than the sum of its parts.

Beautiful Noise

Been getting into the more noisy side of rock lately (Sonic Youth, My Bloody Valentine, Meat Puppets, Dinosaur Jr., etc.). I bought the first Psychedelic Furs album (listen to 'Flowers') and heard I Can Hear the Heart Beating As One seemingly for the first time. I certainly did not grasp how great Deeper into Movies [mp3] and 'Stockholm Syndrome' are on first approach (in fact, I even skipped them a bunch - for shame!) I really hope that the Flaming Lips cover 'Stockholm Syndrome' someday, it really feels suited to their style. Trying to find some Husker Du that I will enjoy as well.

Bonus: Paint a Rainbow - My Bloody Valentine [mp3]

I Am the Anti-Virus!

Been a little distracted by this deal in which you purchase a laptop, all-in-one printer, and 14 anti-virus software titles and end up making > $300 at Staples. So far, 52 rebates submitted with only one denied. It's a pretty overwhelming deal, each piece of software has 3-4 rebates associated with it (Staples rebate, Software + Laptop purchase rebate, Upgrade Rebate, etc.). Although, the OP was nice enough to organize the rebates on a spreadsheet and uploaded that and a formatted Word document of the rebate program address labels.

Finally bought May I Sing With Me by Yo La Tengo and am thoroughly enjoying it, especially Upside Down.

Does Anybody Really Know What Time it is?

There's no watch on my arm. Yes, I have a cell phone with me now to check the time, but I try to avoid knowing what time it is just for the fact that it makes me feel like time is passing slower than it really is. Sometimes I avoid looking at the calendar for a couple of days so I don't even know what day it is. I miss some meetings now and again, but it really makes the week speed by. I tried doing this with months, but there were some clues that I was unable to avoid (holiday decorations, weather, etc.). But that's okay because I think it's good to sit back and enjoy your life. Although if I get too comfortable I start to worry that something sinister is around the corner.

A number of rock songs I have come across evoke the feeling of lounge/nightclub music. They incorporate horns, strings, and finger snaps to produce this classic feeling, a feeling of timeless music meant to be experienced in an intimate setting. Makes me feel like going to Vegas...



Does Anybody Really Know What Time it is? - Chicago [mp3]

Touch Me - The Doors [mp3]

Selfless, Cold, and Composed - Ben Folds Five [mp3]

Nightclub Jitters - The Replacements [wma]

(single-click a link for download)

But why do you like it?

The answer to that question really tells you something. Everyone knows what they like, and don't like for that matter, but to try and explain why you like it means that you may have to expose some guarded portion of your self, or perhaps it is so guarded that you, yourself have yet to explore the root of your preferences. This probably does not apply in the case of taste in foods because that appears to be predetermined as noted in many exchanges:

Edgar: "You haven't touched your broccoli."

Deirdre: "I don't like broccoli."

Edgar: "But why not, dear?"

Deirdre: "Well, the signals from my taste cells interpret the dissolving molecules of said vegetable to my brain to be that of the bitter sensation."

Edgar: "Say again, porkchop?"

Deirdre: "I don't like the taste."

When it comes to more artistic matters, such as books, music, and cinema the reasons seem to become less deterministic, but are they really? In the past, I have made a determined decision that I was going to really give this book a chance, or dedicate a significant portion of time listening to this artist everyone seems to be into right now. The first time I tried to get into Dylan by randomly selecting songs off Blonde on Blonde because I fancied the title got me nowhere. No, Dylan's voice takes some getting used to and "great lyrics" weren't part of my listening criteria.

I can point out specific characteristics of tunes that draw me in and keep me coming back, but when I think about compiling a comprehensive list of all these factors I feel completely overwhelmed, especially about the songs with elusive properties. Sometimes it's a piece or the it's how the pie is put together, but something strikes a chord in me. Other times it is the blatant honesty of the song, as if the song exists independent of its author. And sometimes I just really like that guitar riff in the bridge.

There is no doubt that music is often tied to a place or person in time, that is to say that it evokes the times you used to ride around after dark listening to Springsteen or the dancing in the kitchen with your Mom to Creedence Clearwater Revival. Experiences both positive and negative are tangled up in so many of the songs we love. A lot of my time is spent searching for more music to love and the more I discover, the more I want to share the experience with others. To hear a great song for the first time is a joyfully fleeting thing.

I haven't been a huge fan of topical music blogs, for one thing you get a bunch of blogs talking about the same songs/news and it becomes dictated by who or what is active and I tend to focus more on whatever I am currently obsessing over/musing about. Everyone has their own musical path ("I got into The Flaming Lips to take a break from Radiohead and then I started listening to Mercury Rev..."), mine is finally going public (yikes!).

Songs that have caught my interest as of late:

Lame to Be - Papas Fritas

Did I Step On Your Trumpet - Danielson

Cars Can't Escape - Wilco